HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hall, J. M. Articles by Whitehead, S. A. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hall, J. M. Articles by Whitehead, S. A.

The rise in gonadotrophin release which occurs after ovariectomy is caused by steroid withdrawal resulting in an enhanced pituitary responsiveness to LH releasing hormone (LHRH) associated with increased LHRH release and pituitary LHRH binding. The effects of oestrogen replacement after ovariectomy and chronic treatment of intact rats with an oestrogen antagonist, tamoxifen, on LH release and in-vitro pituitary responses to LHRH have been investigated. Capsules containing crystalline oestradiol, implanted at the time of ovariectomy, completely inhibited the rise in LH release although pituitary responsiveness was greater after 10 days in the oestrogen-treated rats than in untreated ovariectomized controls. On day 4 after ovariectomy pituitary responses to LHRH were comparable in both treated and untreated groups although in both groups the responses were greater than those measured in intact dioestrous rats. Treatment with tamoxifen over a 4-day period also augmented pituitary responsiveness but only at the lowest dose (0·5 mg/kg); no effect on serum LH concentrations was observed. Higher doses of the antagonist (1 and 2 mg/kg) did not affect pituitary responses, although the highest dose did cause a significant rise in serum LH. Treatment with a daily dose of 50 ng [D-Ser(Bu^t)⁶]LHRH(1–9)nonapeptide-ethylamide, starting on the day of ovariectomy, markedly attenuated the LH responses to LHRH ex vivo at days 2, 4 and 10 after ovariectomy. In contrast, the analogue treatment did not abolish the rise in LH release but this was proportionately less than in controls.